Checklist for Surviving Disasters

Natural disasters happen without forewarning, and some emergencies degenerate into chaos that lasts for weeks. Your survival in this unlikely scenario rests on proper preparation, and not just in material terms; an understanding of basic survival skills and first aid is just as important as your supplies.

Survival Kits

• Hiking packs make comfortable survival kits.

  You should have a survival kit in your car, in your home and at your place of work. The home kit should have enough food for three days, one gallon of water per day, toiletries and a change of clothes. Alternatively, a portable water filtration system and iodine offer a low-weight alternative. Keep your home survival kit in a designated location and keep it ready in case of an emergency. Keep a similar bag at work and in your car; keep comfortable walking shoes in your work bag and keep flares, jumper cables and seasonal supplies in your car kit.

Medical Emergencies

• An easily accessed first aid kit is important in treating injuries.

  Your home and car bag should have a simple first aid kit with medication for burns, gastrointestinal distress and antibiotics, but you should also have an expanded medical kit in your home with a suture kit, splint supplies and a CPR resuscitator mask. It's essential for at least one person in your home to have first aid and CPR certifications and a familiarity with treating serious wounds. Iodine, quick-clot combat gauze pads, hydrogen peroxide and a nonlatex tourniquet require expertise, but make excellent additions to your kit.

Shelter

• Inclement weather conditions can be a nightmare without proper shelter.

  Be prepared to build your own shelter in the event of an evacuation; you can purchase lightweight backpacking tents, which are portable and small enough for an evacuation kit; if tents aren't feasible, tarps and proper tie downs make an excellent alternative. Sleeping pads are a must in cold or wet conditions, and purchase a quality synthetic sleeping bag. Down sleeping bags are a lighter alternative, but they don't retain heat when they're wet. A lightweight camp stove is important when building a fire isn't possible; keep at least two fire-starting devices in your kit, like a lighter and fire-steel, and familiarize yourself with their use.

Evacuation Plan

• Have a plan to escape your home, your neighborhood and your region.

  No matter how materially prepared you are, without an evacuation plan, you're still in danger. Locate a safe location miles away from your home that you can flee to; friends' houses and stocked wilderness cabins are prime examples. Have an evacuation plan prepared, and consider your family's specific needs. A common meeting location is important, especially if one or both adults work away from home. Use less-traveled roads, and have a secondary meeting location planned in case the primary one is compromised. The faster your family can react to a disaster, the better your chances of survival.

Long-Term Survival

• Farming and hunting may be in your future, should your face a serious disaster.

  Prepare for a situation in which you're cut off from essential goods and services for an extended period of time. Famine, war, disease and prolonged natural disasters are uncommon, but possible; you need to weigh the costs and benefits of a long-term survival plan. Keep a stock of food that will feed your family for a year, and seeds for planting in the next year. Knowledge is key; wilderness survival guides, frontier living texts and an isolated evacuation location will increase your chances.